Corn-planter.



E.E.ENGLUND.

CORN PLANTER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 13, 1908. 918,983.

2 SHEBTS-SEEET 1.

v N N 1 a r I Q l N R o 7 1 row W Patented Apr. 20, 1909.

B. E. ENGLUND.

001m 'PLANTER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 13 1908 Patented Apr. 20, 1909.

' 2 sngsm'swn'nm 2.

which the seed-plate, is actuated ypower' ada ted to be *controlleds b'y the operator,

the changing of plates. '35

planters of the above-described type in which amount of movement of the seed-plate with seed-cells in the seed-plate which ERNST E.

' UNITED STATES, r TENT OFFICE.

ENGLUND, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS,,ASSIGNOR TO D. M. SECHLER CARRIAGE COMPANY, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS,

CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

eens-rema ns.

To allauhom it may concern: Y Y I 3e it known'that 1, Elmer E. Enemmn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Moline, in the county of Rock Island and State of Illinois, "have invented certain new and useful Improvements in CornePlanters, of' which the following isLa specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawlngs.

My invention relates to .GGTII planters and particularly to that type of corn 'lanter in applied from' the carrying wheels through the medium of a clutch mechanism throwninto engagement by the o eration of the fork levers and automatica y thrown out of en. gagernent when a predetermined amount of rotation is reached; 1

More particularly still, it relates to com the seed-plate contains seed-hells each adapted to receive a single grain of corn.

The object of'my invention isto provide new and improved mechanism by which the each operation of the check-rower mecha nism may be varied so that a greater or lesser number of seed-cells may pass under the cut -ofl and over the discharge opening and thereby a varyi g amount ofcorn be deposited in eachhill, the said mechanism being- Whi e the machine is running and without It is well known that the number of grains of corn which should be deposited in hill will vary with thecharacter of thesoil, and as the soil varies in the same field, it frequently desirable that the operator may be able to so' mani ulate the machine that without changing tli I seed deposited in eachhill may be varied from time to time.

As I said. above, it isthe object of my invention to rovide new and improved mechanism for t 's urpose, and, generally speaking, I accomplish this object by providing mechanism by which, with each operation of the actuating mechanism, the; number of ss over y givingthe discharge spout mayhevaried v Specification or Letters Patent. a nem siod my 1a, 1908. serial Nb. 443,380.

e plates the amount of form and description which is'fe'athezed on Patented Apri1'20, 1909.

a varying number of impulses to the seedplatewi'th each operation of the actuating mechanism.

' In the accompanying draw ings':1Figure l. is a top or plan view of the planter. Fig. 2, is an enl'argeddetail section, being a view 01 a-por'tion of the bottom of one of theseedboxes, showing theactuating'q-gears and the lever bywhich the gearsare s. ified. Figif. is anenlarged detail, being a-sei'atiori on e 33 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4. is an enlarged detail, showing a part of the bottom efthe seed-box in section, and the variable driving gears which actuate it. -Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5- of Fig. 4-. Fig. 6 is a detail, being an isometric viewofthe oblong ring by which the shaft on which the driving gears are mounted is moved longitudinally in one direction or the other.

.Referring to the drawings:7 indicates the runner frame, and 8. the rear or Wheel frame ofthe planter, both of the usual ordinary construction. A 9 indicates an axle mounted in the wheel frame, and 10 indicates the wheels thereon. 11 indicates a sprocket wheel'mounted on theaxle 9;

12 indicates check-rower mechanism which may be of any approved form of construction carried at the ends 'of' the runner-Frame 7. The runner-drains is provided Withthe usual runners orfurrow openers 13 and seed hoxes or hoppersM. I I

15indicates the seed-shaft which is rotatably and slidably mounted in suitable bearings on the runner-frame 7.

a 16 indicates a sprocket wheel Whichis loosely carried on the seed-shaft 15' and is driven by the sprocket chain 17'- which passes over it and the sprocket wheel 11.

18 indicates a clutch of any wellknown these'ed shaft 15 so as'to rotate therewith but to perm-itthe seed-shaft 15'to slide longitudinally of itself in the frame. Tihe clutch mechanismand the sprocket wheel are held a ainst movementwith the'shaft 15 by a lame et. 19 which bears upon the hub of thesproeket 16 and by thebeari ofth'e clutch mechanism 18 againsta suitab e bearina adjacent to the tongue 20'. 1

The clutch mechanism. may be of any wellknown kind ada ted to be thrown into engagement with t e sprocket wheel 16 by the throw of the fork levers, and, after having made one complete revolution, or a predetermi-ned portion of a revolution as may be desired, to be automatically thrown out of engagement, rotating'with it the seed-shaft.

As this clutch mechanism may be of any appropriate kind, and as such clutch mechanism is now well-known, it is believed that 1t is unnecessary todescribe it here, es-

pecially as it of itself forms no part of my present invention. I

.21 indicates seed-plates located in the bottom of the hoppers 14 in the usual manner,

and having seed-cups 22 each adapted to contain a single grain of corn.' The seedplates 21 are preferably of what is known as the edge-drop .t e, but may be of any other type adapte to receive in each. seed-' cell a single gram of corn. 23 indicates an annular plate which is rotatably mounted below the bottom of the hopper in any well-known and ap roved manner and is connected to the seed-p ate 21 in any well-known way, as by pins 24, so

- that when the plate 23 is rotated the seedplate will rotate with it.

25 indicates a number ofteeth projecting downward from the periphery of the plate 23, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 4.

-26 indicates a gear which is divided into three arts,26, 26 and 26, referabl P P y three in number,and the teeth on the part 26 are four in number,arranged equally distant from each other.

One of these gears,

. 26, secured to the seed-shaft 15, is located given to the seed-plate with each operation below each of the seed-boxes, one at each end of the machine.- The drawings show only one of these devices, as the other is an exact duplicate, except that it is' arranged the other end to. That is to say, if as shown in Fig.4 the four-toothed ortion of the gear is toward thecenter oftfie machine, and the two-toothed portion toward the center of the seed-box, the gear upon the other end will be reversed in position so that the twotoothed' end will be toward the center of the machine and the four-toothed end toward the center of the seed-box; These teeth are arranged substantially tangential of the gear wheeland are so arranged that when the seed-shaft is rotated as above described by the clutch mechanism, each tooth will-give an actuating" impulse to the seed-plate as it engages one of the teeth 25, and the number of impulses of the clutch mechanism will vary according to which of said gears engages the said teeth 25, thus varyin the amount of rotation given to the see plate with each operation of the clutch mechanism, and consequently varying the number of seed-cells that pass under the cut-ofi with each operation of the check-rower mechanism.

27 indicates a bracket which is mounted upon the rear bar 7 of the runner-frame and branches into two arms 27 and 27 28 indicates a lever which is pivotally mounted upon the upper'end of the arm 27 1 by means of a pin 29 which .carries a spring 30' hearing at its lower end upon the upper surface of the lever 28 and at its upper end against a cotter pin 31 in the upper end of the pin 29.

32 indicates a notched rack-plate provided with as many notches 33 as there are differcut-toothed gears in the gear 26,as shown in the drawings three in number,which are adapted to engage the rearend of the lever 28 and lock it in any desired position, the lever being raised against the spring 30 when it is desired to shift it.

34. indicates a sleeve having a rounded oblong opening adapted to embrace the seedshaft 15 and having a pin 36 projecting from its upper surface. The front end of the lever 28 is perforated to receive the pin 36 and is held in place thereon by a cotter pin 37. The sleeve 34 is held in place upon the shaft 15 by means of cotter pins 38, with washers 39 interposed between the cotter pins and the sleeve. By swinging the lever 28 tothe right or left, it will be obvious that one portion or another,'26-, 26 or 26,- of'the gear 26 will be brought into registry with the teeth 25 on the plate 23, and when the shaft 15 is rotated by the operation of the clutch mechanism above described the seed-plate will be' given a variable number of impulses according to whether the twotoothed gear 26, the three-toothed gear 26*, or the four toothed gear 269 is brought into engagement with the teeth 25.

' The number of the teeth of the part 25 and the number of the gears will of course depend u on the desired variationof the movement,

0 the seed-plate. As'illustrated in the drawings herein, they are so related to one another and to thetnumber of seed-cups in the seed plate that when the two-toothed gear 26 is brought into engagement with the teeth 25 the seed plate Wlll. be given two impulses and such an amount of rotation that two seed-cells will-pass the cut-off with each operation of the clutch andactuating mechanism, thus causing two rains of corn to be deposited in each hill; t at when the threetoothed portion 26 is brought into enga ement with the teeth 25' the seed-plate will be given threeimpulses to carry three seed-cells I over the seed disc may beof any shown or described them.

'55 invention and desire 'It w1ll be obvious desired to. vary these impulses and consequent amount of rotation-of the seed plate,

number at the -'will of elapse four-toothed-portion' 26 is brought into en-' gszfiement with the teeth 25 the seed-plate w be given four impulses so as to cause four seed-cells to ass under the cut-oh and of the clutch andactuating mechanism. that in case it should be for instance, so as to deposit only one grain of corn'in a hill, or to deposit five grains of corn a hill,the mechanism could be readily adapted thereto, and I-therefore do not confine myself to a gear having the several parts containingthe precise number of teethabove described, or to the dropping of two, three or four grains of corn only in each hill. It .will be seen from the above description of the'mechanism' that the seed-plate, in

stead of being given a steady and continuous partial rotation at each'operation of the chec, -rower lever, is given a series of intermittent impulses which may be varied in the driver,,and that each of these impulses advances the seedto carry a single grain of corn under the cut-off. In other words, the seed-plate is given a series of jerks through the medium of the clutch with each throw of the check-rower mechanism,

and the number of these jerks or impulses given to the seed-plate with each throwof the check-rower mechanism through the medium of the clutch may be varied by the driver without leaving'his seat; One great advantage of giving to the seed-plate this series of intermittent impulses or jerks lies in the fact that this movement insuresth'e filling of each seed-cell with a grain of corn much more perfectly than a steady and continuous partial rotation.

It will of coursebe" understood that the planter equip ed with'the usual cut-off mechanism m to hoppers, and the usual seed-tubesin the runner shanks, and with the usual runnervalves operated by the check rowermechanism. As these, however, appropriate kind, and. are well known m the art, and as my invention does not in any way relate to them, I have not What I claimas my to secure by Letters P'atentis 1. In a corn-planter, the combination with check-rower mechanism, a seed-plate, and means actuated by the check rower mechanism for-imparting to the seed-plate a series of intermittent impulses u on each actuation of the check-rower mec 'anism.

2. In a corn-planter, the combination with check-rower mechanism, a seed-plate, means seed-plate by arge with each operation operation of. t

' check-rower mechanism,

grain o from the rear wheels and adapted to be actuated by the check-rower mechanism for imparting to the seed-plate a series of intermltten't impulses upon each actuation of the check-rower mechanism, and means for vathe number of impulses given to the each operation of the checkrower mechanism. f

- 3. In a corn-planter, the'combination with check-rower mechanism, a seed-plate, means actuated by the check-rower mechanism for imparting to the seed-plate a series of intermittent impulses upon each actuation of the check-rower mechanism, and lever mechanism for varying the number of impulses given to the see'dplate by each operation of the check-rower mechanism. 4. In a corn-planter, the combination with check-rower mechanism, a seed-plate, clutchmechanism'dri'ven by the progressive movement of the machine and adapted to be thrown into 0 erative relation with each he check-rower mechanism,

and mechanism operated by said checkrower mechanism through the medium of said clutch-mechanism to give the seedplate a series of intermittent impulses at each actuationof the check-rower mechanism. 5. In a corn-planter, the combination with check-rower mechanism, a seed-plate, clutchmechanism driven by the progressive move ment of the machine and adapted to be thrown into 0 erative relation with each operation -of t e check-rower mechanism, mechanism 0 erated by said check-rower mechanism through the medium of said clutch-mechanism to give the seedlate a series of.intermittent impulses at eac actuation of the check-rower mechanism, and means for varying the number of impulses given to the seed-plate at each actuation of the check-rower-mechanism.

6. In a com-planter, the combination with a seed-plate having seed-cu s adapted each to contain a single ain of corn, and clutch-mechanism driven rom the rear wheels and adapted to be thrown into operative relation at each operation of the check-rower mechanism, of means actuated by said check-rower mechanism through the medium of said clutch-mechanism for giving the seed-plate a series of intermittent impulses at each actuation of the check-rower mechanism.

7. In acorn-planter, the combination with check-rower mechanism, a seed-plate having seed-cups adapted each to contain a single corn and clutch mechanlsm driven throwninto operative relation with each operation of the check-rower mechanism, of a seed-shaft adapted to be actuated by said clutch mechanism and means operated by saidseed-shaft and adapted to give to said 'impu seed-Ylate a variable number of interniittent ses during the actuation of said seedshaft.

8. in a conx-planter, the combination w th check-rower mechanism, a seed-plate havlng seed-cu s adapted each to contain a single eratlon of the check-rower mechanism,

gear-ring connected with said seed-plate, a 1

seed-shaft adapted to be actuated by said clutch mechanlsm, and shiftable gearing 0perated by said seed-shaft and adapted to give to said seed-plate a variable number of 1.5

intermittent 1m ulses during the actuation of said seed-sha t.

ERNST E. ENGLUND.

Witnesses NANNIE C. BENELL. CHAS. M. McCUTcHEN. 

